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Reproductive Health and Freedom Watch

Reproductive Health and Freedom Watch Update

We are monitoring several updates in the unregulated pregnancy clinic (UPC) industry and reproductive and maternal health rights space this week.

  • New Updates to UPCFInanceWatch.com. This week, Reproductive Health and Freedom Watch released significant updates to UPCFinanceWatch.com, a dynamic, continually updated tracker of the reported revenue, expenses, assets, and alliances of the unregulated pregnancy clinic (UPC) industry. Launched on September 24, 2024, with Reproaction, the latest updates bring the total list to 1,742 UPCs/UPC networks (because many UPCs have one legal entity for multiple locations or are nested within larger institutions). From 2019 to 2022,UPCs reported over $5.59 billion in revenue and $4.89 billion in expenses, with assets exceeding $2.29 billion in 2022. Despite financial mismanagement concerns, UPCs remain largely unregulated. UPCFinanceWatch.com provides crucial transparency as anti-choice lawmakers push for increased UPC funding.
  • The Archdiocese of San Francisco is urging residents to vote against a ballot initiative that would notify people visiting unregulated pregnancy clinics where they can access abortion and EC. Proposition O, the Reproductive Freedom Act, would require the City to “provide public information through website and signage about where abortions and emergency contraception may be available” and the first in proposal in the country to require the City to post “signage in front of limited services pregnancy centers that do not provide those services.” The Catholic church has characterized the ballot initiatives as an “attack” 
  • Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has launched a campaign to “protect” the UPC industry. ADF, a far-right legal organization designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its efforts against LGBTQ rights, has launched its latest “We Care” Initiative. This initiative employs carefully crafted messaging to portray unregulated pregnancy clinics as increasingly under threat from government interference. Given ADF’s pivotal role in dismantling Roe v. Wade, their current focus on legitimizing the $1.7 billion unregulated pregnancy clinic industry is particularly troubling, as they marshal significant resources and public relations expertise to further their cause.
  • The Idaho Medical Association softened its resolution opposing public funding for unregulated pregnancy clinics following significant public backlash, largely driven by activism from UPC Stanton Healthcare. According to the Idaho Capital Sun, “the original — but not adopted — resolution…called for the Idaho Medical Association to oppose state and federal funds being used to support crisis pregnancy centers, and for the Idaho Medical Association to lobby ‘against efforts of the Idaho Legislature to direct funds for the support of’ crisis pregnancy centers. Boise-based Stanton Healthcare UPC mobilized an aggressive public relations pushback, with a press conference at the Capitol, after which the Idaho Medical Association replaced the proposed UPC language with a generic resolution opposing “public funds for clinics that skirt medical standards.” Stanton Healthcare, which was exposed in the UPC documentary Preconceived for its deceptive client privacy practices, is part of a national advocacy organization advancing lobbying and litigation to end access to abortion care in Idaho and nationwide.